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1.1.1 The main platform for the league will be Fantrax. The majority of day-to-day tasks will be done through Fantrax.

1.1.2 A Google Spreadsheet will be the secondary resource for the league. The spreadsheet will hold any information that Fantrax cannot (such as Buy-In info and Draft Results).
1.2 Teams and Divisions

1.2.1 There are 30 teams in the league. Each team is named after a real life MLB team and is in the same division as of the 2015 configuration. 6 divisions of 5 teams.

1.2.2 Teams were decided with a ranking system by the initial owners.

1.2.3 You will not be able to change your team name, but you can change your team logo to any current/historical logo of your team.

1.2.4 In the case of real life relocation or expansion, the league divisions will not change. You may be permitted to request a team name change if your team changes name and/or location.
1.3 Fees

1.3.1 There is an initial fee of $8.00 that covers the Premium League fee for the first three years.

1.3.2 League fees will be re-evaluated after Year 2 (2016).
1.4 Optional Buy-In

1.4.1 Every year there will be an optional $10 buy-in.

1.4.2 If there is less than 10 teams with the buy-in, then the highest regular season team who bought in will take the pot.

1.4.3 If more than 10 teams buy in and the playoff champion bought in, then the playoff champion will take 40% of the pot and the highest regular season winner will take 60%. If the playoff champion did not buy in, then the highest regular season winner will take all.

1.4.4 Teams that tie in regular season win percent will split the winnings.

1.4.5 Side bets are allowed and encouraged.
2.0 League Settings
2.1 MLB Rosters

2.1.1 There are 25 MLB roster spots. 19 starting spots and 6 bench.

2.1.2 The Injured Reserve does not count towards the 25 man roster and is of unlimited space.

2.1.3 Players do not need to be on the real life DL to be placed on the IR. Players that are out of games due to injury will also be eligible (Fantrax manages this).

2.1.4 Players that are no longer injured must be added back to your MLB roster or dropped. Your transactions will be locked until they are.

2.2.1 There is a max of 15 minor league players. This limit can never be exceeded.

2.2.2 Players are eligible for the minor league roster if they are currently in the minor leagues.

2.2.3 Players can be moved from the major league roster to the minor league roster (demoted) if the player is currently in the minor leagues. Another minor league player may have to be dropped before a demotion can occur to keep the roster at 15 or less.

2.2.4 Players that have have been previously demoted (2.2.3) and are back in the major leagues in real life, are required to be added to the Major League roster (recalled) within 14 days of their first MLB game since their demotion. Players that are not recalled within 14 days will be dropped to the free agent pool.

2.2.5 Players that are affiliated with a MLB team and have never played in an MLB game are called prospects. Prospects can only be added to your team through either:

a.) The Initial Prospect Draft (see 3.1)

b.) The annual New Player Draft (see 3.3)

c.) The annual New Player Draft Waiver Period (see 3.3.9)

d.) A waiver process following their MLB Debut (see 4.3).

2.2.6 Prospects that are called up to the MLB and play in an MLB game have to be added to your MLB roster (promoted) by the beginning of the following season.
2.3 Scoring

2.3.1 Every week you are matched up against another team. There are 18 scoring categories that can be scored. You earn a win for every category that you defeat the other team in that week (and get a loss for every loss). Ties are allowed.

2.3.2 The scoring categories are:

Batting - R, RBI, HR, SB, RC, AVG, OBP, SLG, wOBA

Pitching - SW, K, SV, HLD, IP, DICE (FIP), GB/FB, WHIP, K/BB

If you are unfamiliar with any of these categories, go to Other -> All Options -> Scoring Glossary in the Fantrax league.

2.3.3 Players will only accumulate stats if they are in one of the 9 batting slots or 10 pitching slots.
2.4 Weekly Restrictions

2.4.1 Every week, each team has a maximum of 5 free agent and waiver wire acquisitions. This resets on Mondays.

2.4.2 Each team must meet a minimum of 20 innings pitched and 2 pitcher starts every week. If either of these are not met, the pitcher rate stats will be automatic losses.
2.5 Playoffs

2.5.1 The playoffs will have a 10 team format similar to the actual MLB. The winner of each division will make the playoffs, as well as the next two best teams in each league (NL and AL). The 4 non-division winners will have a “Wild Card Game” in the first week of the playoffs. The next 3 weeks will consist of the ALDS/NLDS, ALCS/NLCS, and the Lo#D World Series.

2.5.2 The Lo#D World Series will consist of the ALCS and NLCS winners and will last 2 weeks.
3.0 Drafts
3.1 Initial Prospect Draft

3.1.1 The Initial Prospect Draft will begin on Saturday, November 1, 2014.

3.1.2 The draft will consist of 12 rounds.

3.1.3 To be eligible to be drafted, a player must be affiliated with an MLB team and must have never played a MLB game. Players that are signed as international free agents this offseason will not be eligible for this draft.

3.1.4 To make your selection, it is preferred if you add the player to your team in Fantrax and move him to your Minor League Roster. If you are unable to log into Fantrax, you can post your pick on the BlueJaysMessageBoard or contact a commissioner.

3.1.5 After making your pick, please email the team that follows you and let them know their window has started.

3.1.6 You will have a 6 hour window to make your pick. Hours from 1 AM EST until 8 AM EST will not affect your window. If your window expires, the team following you will have their window start and they can pick. You can make your missed pick at any time.

3.1.7 The time at which the player is added in Fantrax is the official window start.

3.1.8 You may trade your picks up until one hour after the window for that pick has started. At this time you must pick.
3.2 Initial MLB Draft

3.2.1 The Initial MLB Draft will begin 2 days after the conclusion of the Initial Propsect Draft, or on January 3, 2015, whichever comes first.

3.2.2 The draft will consist of 25 rounds.

3.2.3 To be eligible to be drafted, a player must either:

a.) Have at least one career MLB appearance (no need to be under contract).

b.) Have signed a Major League contract with a MLB team before the beginning of the draft from an international team.

c.) Have been posted from a foreign league or has defected from Cuba and is eligible to sign a Major League deal.

3.2.4 To make your selection, it is preferred if you add the player to your team in Fantrax. If you are unable to login to Fantrax, you can post your pick on the BlueJaysMessageBoard or contact a commissioner.

3.2.5 After making your pick, please email the team that follows you and let them know their window has started.

3.2.6 You will have a 6 hour window to make your pick. Hours from 1 AM EST until 8 AM EST will not affect your window. If your window expires, the team following you will have their window start and they can pick. You can make your missed pick at any time.

3.2.7 At the conclusion of the draft, all remaining free agents will be placed on Waivers for 3 days.

3.2.8 The time at which the player is added in Fantrax is the official window start.

3.2.9 You may trade your picks up until one hour after the window for that pick has started. At this time you must pick.

3.2.10 You may not move players to the DL or to the minors to clear a roster spot until the completion of the draft. You may finish the draft with only 25 players on your MLB roster. If your pick comes up and you currently have 25 players on your MLB roster, then that pick will vanish.

3.2.11 Players that are injured and minor league eligible can be moved to clear room to claim players during the waiver period and add FA after the waiver period ends.
3.3 Annual New Player Draft

3.3.1 The Annual New Player Draft (NPD) will be in the offseason of every year. Exact date will be determined, but it will be in the new year.

3.3.2 The NPD will consist of 6 rounds.

3.3.3 Players eligible to be drafted include:

a.) Players from the most recent Rule 4 draft.

b.) Players from the most recent July IFA signings.

c.) Players who have prospect status (see 2.2.5) and were un-owned at the start of the draft.

d.) International free agents who signed with teams and never played a MLB game.

3.3.4 To make your selection, it is preferred if you add the player to your team in Fantrax. If you are unable to login to Fantrax, you can post your pick on the BlueJaysMessageBoard or contact a commissioner.

3.3.5 You may drop players from your Minor League Roster as a part of your selection on Fantrax to make room for your selection. These dropped players will not be available to be added or drafted until the conclusion of the NDP.

3.3.6 After making your pick, please email the team that follows you and let them know their window has started.

3.3.7 You will have a 12 hour window to make your pick. If your window expires, the team following you will have their window start and they can pick. You can make your missed pick at any time.

3.3.8 You do not need to use all of your picks. You are free to trade your unwanted picks before their windows begin, or inform a commissioner that you would like the pick abolished.

3.3.9 Following the draft, all players that are free agents will be placed on waivers for 3 days and will go through the waiver process. If you would like to add a prospect that was dropped by a team during the draft, this is the only time you can do so until the next NPD or they reach the MLB. In order to be added, these dropped prospects MUST be waiver claims during this period.
4.0 Free Agents and Waivers

4.0.1 The timing of adds work a little differently then you may be used to. Adds/Drops (and waiver claims) are processed immediately if BOTH:

a.) The added player’s game that day has not yet started or they do not have a game that day.

b.) The corresponding dropped player’s game has not yet started or they do not have a game that day.

4.0.2 Adds/Drops are processed for the following day if EITHER:

a.) The added player’s game that day has started or been completed.

b.) The dropped player’s game that day has started or been completed.
4.1 Waiver Priority

4.1.1 Waiver priority was pre-determined along with the initial draft order. The priorities started from the middle of the order and worked their way out.

4.1.2 Waiver priority can be found on Fantrax under Transactions -> Waiver Wire Order.

4.1.3 Waiver priority can be traded (see 5.2.2)

4.1.4 Waiver priority works like you are used to. Highest priority that claims a player is awarded that player. After winning one claim, your priority is moved to 30th and everyone gets bumped up 1 spot.

4.1.5 Waiver priority will carry over year to year and will never be reset.
4.2 Drop Waivers

4.2.1 Players that are dropped from teams’ rosters are automatically subject to Drop Waivers.

4.2.2 Drop Waivers last 2 days.

4.2.3 Players that clear Drop Waivers are then eligible to be added.

4.2.4 Adding a player and then dropping him on the same day does NOT place the player on waivers. He goes right back to the FA pool.
4.3 MLB Debuts

4.3.1 Unowned players with no MLB experience that are added to a real life roster can only be added at 8PM ET two days after their MLB debut. So if they debut on Tuesday, they can be added at 8PM on Thursday.

4.3.2 Commissioners reserve the right to manually add any such player to actual waivers, and owners can request that any such players are added to waivers.

4.3.3 Early adds will result in the player being dropped as well as the loss of the team's waiver priority.
4.4 Free Agents

4.4.1 Free agents are players that have at one point cleared a waiver process (whether it is Draft Waivers or MLB Debut Waivers) and have MLB experience.

4.4.2 Free Agents are eligible to be added on a first come first serve basis. You can add them at any time. See 4.0.1 and 4.0.2 for how the timing of the adds work.

4.4.3 You only get a total of 5 adds and processed claims per week, so use them wisely!

4.4.4 Players that are listed as “Injured” are not eligible to be added until they are no longer injured. This prevents DL stashing.
5.0 Trades
5.1 Tradable Assets

5.1.1 All of the following assets are tradeable:

a.) Players on your Major League Roster

b.) Players on your Minor League Roster

c.) Players on your IR

d.) Draft picks for the upcoming NPD (next year picks become available at the start of the NPD, and current year picks can be traded up until the beginning of the pick’s window in the draft)

e.) Waiver Priority (see 4.1.3)

f.) Initial MLB Draft picks

g.) Initial Prospect Draft picks

5.1.2 Any combination of these assets may be included in a trade.

5.1.3 A trade must have at least one asset going to each team.
5.2 Completing Trades

5.2.1 All trades must be proposed and accepted through Fantrax. The only exception is when either Waiver Priority or Initial Prospect Draft picks are the sole asset being moved by one team.

5.2.2 Trades involving either Waiver Priority or Initial Prospect Draft picks must be posted as a new thread in the League Message Board on Fantrax. The other team(s) must confirm in that thread in order for the trade to be processed. Please make and accept a trade proposal with all Fantrax tradable assets if possible.

5.2.3 Pre-determined rental trades are not allowed. Rental trades are a form of collusion. This will be up to the discretion of the commissioners.

5.2.4 Trades that are a form of collusion at the discretion of the commissioners will NOT be allowed.

5.2.5 Once a trade has been agreed to and confirmed, neither party may free up roster space by making an additional trade. Players can only be dropped.

5.2.6 Trades may not include conditional picks, or a conditional selection of players.
5.3 Multi-Team Trades

5.3.1 Multi-team trades are allowed and encouraged. (Don’t try and get a player from one team and then re-trade that player to another, do it all together!)

5.3.2 Fantrax supports multi-team trades. The interface is fairly simple and shouldn’t take long to figure out. To propose a trade go to Transactions -> Trades. To add an asset to a trade, select the “from” team and the “to” team as well as the asset, and then click the arrow to add them to the trade.

5.3.3 There is no limit to the amount of teams that can be involved in a trade, but try not to make it too complicated.
5.4 Trade Deadline

5.4.1 Every year there will be a period from the trade deadline to the end of the playoffs where trades will not be allowed.

5.4.2 The specific trade deadline date will be decided on a year to year basis. The deadline will be at the end of week 17.
5.5 Trade Block

5.5.1 Fantrax has a trade block very similar to Yahoo. However, it is recommended that you create your own trade block on an outside platform (Google Docs) and provide a link in the Trade Block notes section.

6.0 Schedule

6.0.1 There are 21 weeks in the regular season schedule before the playoffs. Every team plays every week.

Each MLB roster will consist of 25 players, plus up to 5 DL slots and 1 NA slot during the season.

Each roster will include the following positions:

1. Position Players (9): C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, CF, OF, OF, UTIL

2. Pitchers (10): SP, SP, SP, SP, SP, RP, RP, RP, RP, P

3. Bench (6)

KEEPER RULES

On March 1st prior to the rule 5 Draft (March 7) – teams must trim their MLB rosters down. Teams can roster a maximum of 32 total players through the cut down with a maximum of 22 MLB and 14 MiLB being allowed. For example, teams can decide to keep 22 of their MLB players but would only be allowed to carry 10 MiLB. If teams choose this setup their redundant waiver picks will dissolve. If teams acquire more than 12 prospects via trade or draft then they can cut down to a minimum 18 MLB players and carry a maximum of 14 prospects through the cut down period but will be required to cut down to a maximum of 12 prospects before the July MiLB draft.

Trades between the cut date and the Rule 5 Draft need to have equal numbers of MLB players + waiver picks on both sides, to ensure each team exits the Rule 5 Draft with 25 players.

After the season has concluded and prior to the Cut Date, roster size (both MLB and MiLB) is unlimited. Owners may acquire as many MLB & MiLB players via trade as they wish, so long as their rosters are cut down to the maximum allowable size by mid-February. No free agents may be picked up via the Yahoo database after the conclusion of the playoffs until the conclusion of the

Rule 5 Draft.

Lineup Setting is mandatory throughout the duration of the Yahoo season. Owners that do not set lineups with active MLB players for an extended period of time may be considered tanking and expelled from the league accordingly. Prospects and other players that are NA or DL do NOT count as filled roster spots and will be considered vacancies for this purpose.

Unowned prospects that did not hit AA or higher in the previous year cannot be added to MLB rosters on Yahoo, even if they hit AA, unless they are called up to the big leagues. If such players are called up in real life, then they can be added in Yahoo as soon as their MLB parent club adds them to their 25 man roster. Such players that have not been called up in real life by our MiLB draft are eligible to be drafted to MiLB rosters in the June rule 4. International free agents that are not subject to international spending restrictions and sign during the season are eligible to be claimed as soon as Yahoo adds them to the system. International free agents that were subject to international spending restrictions but are added to Yahoo's system during the season will be treated like prospects who did not his AA in the previous season - that is, they cannot be added unless they are called up to the big leagues.

MiLB Roster Management

MiLB rosters will consist of a maximum of 14 prospects. Once a player has been drafted, they belong to that owner and no other owner may pick them up from the Yahoo free agent list. Any such pickups will be voided. Please double-check the official Owned Prospects List before attempting to add a prospect to your 25 man roster from the Yahoo database. Any unowned prospects may be picked up as free agents or via waiver claim (when they are initially added to the Yahoo database upon their call-up).

Prospects may not be promoted to the MLB roster until they have played at least one game at AA or higher. Similarly, free agent prospects may not be added to a MLB man roster until they have played at AA or higher. (Note: This rule is intended to prevent issues arising from owning players in the low minors added to the database by Yahoo.)

When an owner promotes a prospect to their 25 man roster, that prospect can never be sent back down. If a prospect is called up and subsequently released by the owner, they will become subject to waivers and then free agency (if applicable). If a prospect is cut from an MiLB roster before being promoted, that prospect can be picked up as a free agent from the Yahoo database (if at AA or higher) or drafted in the next MiLB draft (as long as they have never played an MLB game).

Prospects may be kept on an MiLB roster until the following MLB conditions are met:

Hitters: 500 career PA

Pitchers: 26 career X [where X = GS + 0.5(relief appearances)]

Once a prospect has crossed one of these thresholds, he must be promoted to the MLB roster no later than the next February Prospect Cutdown or the next Annual MiLB Draft Prospect Cutdown, whichever comes first.

Prospects can be cut from the MiLB roster at any time, but can only be added to the MiLB roster via the MiLB draft or trade.

Rule V Draft (Waiver)

Beginning in 2017, an annual Rule 5 (Waiver) Draft will be held each Spring when the Yahoo season opens (approximately late February, exact date TBD). Prior to the Rule 5 Draft, keeper players will be assigned to their respective teams by the commissioner(s). The Rule 5 Draft will consist of 5 rounds (to fill the vacant roster spots 21-25 on each team).

Rule 5 Draft order will be determined by the standings of the previous season with a weighted lottery on the Top 5 picks (to help prevent intentional tanking). During the Rule 5 Draft, most remaining players in the Yahoo database (with the exception of prospects already owned on MiLB rosters) will be available. The Rule 5 Draft typically consists of MLB international signings, MLB players cut from keeper rosters, and unowned prospects (prospects may only be taken if they have played at AA or higher, see MiLB Roster Management; international signings that were subject to international spending limitations may not be taken in the Rule 5 Draft).

As the Rule 5 Draft is a manual process, each owner will have 12 hours to make their selection. After the 12 hour window, that owner may make their selection as soon as they arrive, but the draft will carry on in their absence and subsequent owners may make their selections. During the Rule 5 Draft, owners are encouraged to keep close tabs on the progress of the draft in order to quickly make their selection when they are on the clock. Other owners are encouraged to email on-the-clock and on-deck owners so that the Rule 5 Draft may be completed in a timely fashion.

Only unowned players that have been added to the Yahoo database prior to the beginning of the draft will be eligible. If a player is added to the database by Yahoo during the Rule 5 Draft, that player will be ineligible to be drafted and will be subject to waivers following the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft, if eligible.

At the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft, Waiver Priority will be reset to the inverse of the previous years’ standings and all undrafted players will be placed on waivers for 48 hours to start the season.

Rule 4 Draft (MiLB)

The annual MiLB draft will be held immediately following the conclusion of the real-life MLB Rule 4 Draft (exact date TBD). The draft will consist of 6 rounds and will be conducted on the League Message Board. Draft picks will be assigned each year at the conclusion of the current year's Rule 4 draft (and next year's picks are able to be traded as soon as they are assigned).

Each owner will be allowed a 12 hour window in which to make their selection. After the 12 hour window, that owner may make their selection as soon as they arrive, but the draft will carry on in their absence and subsequent owners may make their selections.

*The 12 hour window may be subject to change into a 6 hour window in future years, with clocks not ticking during typical sleeping hours, since this system worked well in the League of Despair start up draft*

Only unowned players who have never played an MLB game and who belong to an MLB parent team are eligible to be drafted. Players who have been drafted by an MLB parent team are eligible to be drafted, even if they have not signed with the parent club (as our annual draft will occur before the signing period has concluded). Drafted prospects that go unsigned and/or return to college may be kept at the owner’s discretion.

All MiLB cuts must be made one week prior to the annual MiLB draft so that draft order can be finalized and unused picks removed from the draft. At this time, MiLB rosters will be frozen until the conclusion of the draft. If your MiLB roster is full at the time of the draft, you will not be allowed to draft prospects and all of your remaining picks will be discarded.

Draft order will be determined by the standings of the previous season with a weighted lottery on the Top 5 picks (to help prevent intentional tanking).

Players that are held on MLB rosters at the beginning of the draft cannot be drafted in the rule 4. This means that nobody can cut a prospect that hasn't played an MLB game but is currently held on their MLB roster as an NA right before one of their rule 4 picks in order to &demote& said player to their MiLB roster. If a prospect that hasn't played an MLB game gets cut from an MLB roster before the rule 4 draft begins, then they can be drafted. In other words, a player can't gain MiLB draft eligibility during the draft.

Trading

Trades may include MLB players, MiLB players, and current-year MiLB draft picks. Future draft picks may not be traded, same for next season's draft picks which can only be traded after the conclusion of the annual MiLB draft in the summer. Specific picks are not assigned until after the season ends, but owners after the rule 4 draft can trade their picks by round, i.e. trade their 2nd round pick for player X. Current-year Waiver Priority can be swapped in a trade, however, owners should note that Waiver Priority is reset prior to the annual Waiver Draft, not carried over from the previous season.

Trades are subject to commissioner approval, but will be approved unless the trade is found to be overwhelmingly unfair or shows signs of collusion or league sabotage.

If an owner(s) is found to be in collusion or purposely trying to sabotage the league, they will be immediately removed from the league, any roster changes will be reversed, and their roster will be frozen until a suitable replacement is found.

Originally Posted by LetTheBallFly

Synder is mediocre at best this year. Let me know when Synder is giving up less runs per game than Sanchez, until then I'll take Sanchez